BARNEVELD - Juda-Albany senior Tabatha Davis threw a complete game four-hitter, and Alexis Goecks drove in the game-winning run with a bunt to lift the Panthers to a 2-1 win over Barneveld in a pitcher's duel.
Davis struck out six and walked just two, while giving up just one run in a Six Rivers East Conference showdown Thursday. Juda-Albany (8-2, 1-2 Six Rivers east) got some timely hitting. Davis had a game-tying RBI double in the fourth inning and Goecks drove in the winning run with a bunt in the fifth.
"The girls showed a lot of heart," Juda-Albany coach Bill Davis said. "You get those clutch hits and that is what it takes."
Does the upset of Barneveld put Juda-Albany in contention for a conference title?
"I wouldn't go that far," Davis said. "We still have to play Monticello twice, Argyle and Barneveld again. There are a lot of games left, but it's a good win."
Monticello 2, Black Hawk 1
ARGYLE - With field conditions being too poor to play in Monticello, both the Ponies and Black Hawk softball teams made the trip to Argyle to face off in a Six Rivers Eastern Conference match. Despite not being on their home field, the Ponies squeaked out a 2-1 victory over the Warriors.
Early in the first inning, Black Hawk's Jen Wellnitz ripped a triple off of Monticello's Claire Bruns. Wellnitz then scored off of an RBI single by fellow Tessa Cushman to give the Warriors their only score of the night.
The Ponies responded with a run of their own thanks to a Marissa Berg RBI, but both teams were held in check until late in the fourth, when Bruns sunk a hit into left field to bring in the game's deciding run.
"We haven't played in a week, (but) in reality I don't think anyone really has," Ponies coach Duane Garrison said. "We didn't bat as well as we wanted to tonight, (but) give Black Hawk credit, they're a much improved team. They have their pitcher (Rachel Richard) back, and she pitched a great game tonight."
Richard finished the night with five walks, three hits and four strikeouts in all seven innings of work. Cushman (2-for-3) and Wellnitz led the Warriors offensively.
Bruns bolstered her strong start to the season with tonight's win. The senior ace pitched all seven innings, while striking out four.
Belleville 9, New Glarus 6
NEW GLARUS - In a Capitol Conference showdown between Highway 69 rivals, the visiting Wildcats got the best of the Knights, winning 9-6.
After two scoreless innings to open the game, the Wildcats got on board first with one run in the third, and erupted for eight runs in the next inning. Trailing 9-0 heading into the seventh inning, the Knights made one last attempt at a comeback but only managed six runs.
"We just couldn't hit them early in the game," New Glarus coach Hannah Grossen said. "We need more discipline at the plate, and we can't leave runners on base. It's great that we rallied at the end there, but by that time it was a little too late. We have to work on eliminating those big innings against us."
Emma Jackson took the mound for the Knights. Both Noelle Austin and Grace Moen finished 2-for-3 at the plate for New Glarus.
Riverdale 12, Darlington 2
MUSCODA - It only took five innings of work for the host Chieftains to put away the Darlington softball team on Thursday, running away 12-2.
Riverdale opened with a 9-1 lead heading into the fifth, and by the bottom of the inning, they added three runs to end the game early.
Payton Ray and Allie Kissel each batted 1-for-2 for the Redbirds. Darlington hosts New Glarus on Friday.
Brodhead 14, Palmyra-Eagle 10
BRODHEAD - The bats were active on Thursday for the Brodhead softball team, as the Cardinals downed their Rock Valley South Conference foes 14-10.
The Cardinals started off a bit shaky in the first inning, as an error on a bloop single allowed two runs to score for the visiting Panthers. Brodhead regained control in the second inning, thanks to a two-run double by Taylor Gerlach. After exchanging blows, the Cardinals finally distanced themselves. In the bottom of the fourth, Cardinals outfielder Cassie McGuire lined a triple to tie the game at 6, and not long after, blasted a three-run triple again later in the fifth to give Brodhead an 11-9 advantage.
Brooke Boegli pitched all seven innings for Brodhead. Taylor Gerlach, Boegli, and Erin Kloepping each went 2-for-4 for the Cardinals.
Davis struck out six and walked just two, while giving up just one run in a Six Rivers East Conference showdown Thursday. Juda-Albany (8-2, 1-2 Six Rivers east) got some timely hitting. Davis had a game-tying RBI double in the fourth inning and Goecks drove in the winning run with a bunt in the fifth.
"The girls showed a lot of heart," Juda-Albany coach Bill Davis said. "You get those clutch hits and that is what it takes."
Does the upset of Barneveld put Juda-Albany in contention for a conference title?
"I wouldn't go that far," Davis said. "We still have to play Monticello twice, Argyle and Barneveld again. There are a lot of games left, but it's a good win."
Monticello 2, Black Hawk 1
ARGYLE - With field conditions being too poor to play in Monticello, both the Ponies and Black Hawk softball teams made the trip to Argyle to face off in a Six Rivers Eastern Conference match. Despite not being on their home field, the Ponies squeaked out a 2-1 victory over the Warriors.
Early in the first inning, Black Hawk's Jen Wellnitz ripped a triple off of Monticello's Claire Bruns. Wellnitz then scored off of an RBI single by fellow Tessa Cushman to give the Warriors their only score of the night.
The Ponies responded with a run of their own thanks to a Marissa Berg RBI, but both teams were held in check until late in the fourth, when Bruns sunk a hit into left field to bring in the game's deciding run.
"We haven't played in a week, (but) in reality I don't think anyone really has," Ponies coach Duane Garrison said. "We didn't bat as well as we wanted to tonight, (but) give Black Hawk credit, they're a much improved team. They have their pitcher (Rachel Richard) back, and she pitched a great game tonight."
Richard finished the night with five walks, three hits and four strikeouts in all seven innings of work. Cushman (2-for-3) and Wellnitz led the Warriors offensively.
Bruns bolstered her strong start to the season with tonight's win. The senior ace pitched all seven innings, while striking out four.
Belleville 9, New Glarus 6
NEW GLARUS - In a Capitol Conference showdown between Highway 69 rivals, the visiting Wildcats got the best of the Knights, winning 9-6.
After two scoreless innings to open the game, the Wildcats got on board first with one run in the third, and erupted for eight runs in the next inning. Trailing 9-0 heading into the seventh inning, the Knights made one last attempt at a comeback but only managed six runs.
"We just couldn't hit them early in the game," New Glarus coach Hannah Grossen said. "We need more discipline at the plate, and we can't leave runners on base. It's great that we rallied at the end there, but by that time it was a little too late. We have to work on eliminating those big innings against us."
Emma Jackson took the mound for the Knights. Both Noelle Austin and Grace Moen finished 2-for-3 at the plate for New Glarus.
Riverdale 12, Darlington 2
MUSCODA - It only took five innings of work for the host Chieftains to put away the Darlington softball team on Thursday, running away 12-2.
Riverdale opened with a 9-1 lead heading into the fifth, and by the bottom of the inning, they added three runs to end the game early.
Payton Ray and Allie Kissel each batted 1-for-2 for the Redbirds. Darlington hosts New Glarus on Friday.
Brodhead 14, Palmyra-Eagle 10
BRODHEAD - The bats were active on Thursday for the Brodhead softball team, as the Cardinals downed their Rock Valley South Conference foes 14-10.
The Cardinals started off a bit shaky in the first inning, as an error on a bloop single allowed two runs to score for the visiting Panthers. Brodhead regained control in the second inning, thanks to a two-run double by Taylor Gerlach. After exchanging blows, the Cardinals finally distanced themselves. In the bottom of the fourth, Cardinals outfielder Cassie McGuire lined a triple to tie the game at 6, and not long after, blasted a three-run triple again later in the fifth to give Brodhead an 11-9 advantage.
Brooke Boegli pitched all seven innings for Brodhead. Taylor Gerlach, Boegli, and Erin Kloepping each went 2-for-4 for the Cardinals.
